plain phenomena of the loadstone We know, the 

 cause of them we know not. , 



From late observations, it appears that the load, 

 stone is a true iron ore, and is sometimes found in 

 very large pieces, half loadstone, half common ore. 

 In every one, 1. There are two poles, one pointing 

 north, the other south. And if it be divided into ever 

 so many pieces, the two poles will be found in each 

 piece. 2. If two loadstones be spherical, one will 

 conform itself to the other, as either would do to the 

 earth, and will then approach each other, whereas in 

 the contrary position, they recede from ea'ch other. 



3. Iron receives virtue, either by 'touching, or by 

 being brought near the stone ; and that variously, 

 according to the various parts of it which it touches. 



4. The longer the iron touches the stone, the longer 

 it retains the virtue. 5. Steel receives this virtus 

 better than iron. 6. In these parts the south pole of 

 a loadstone lifts more iron than the north pole. 7. 

 A plate of iron interposed hinders the operation of 

 the loadstone; but no other body, no not glass it- 



self. 8. A touched wire, if bent round in a ring, quite 

 loses its virtue. But though bending thus destroys 

 its virtue by day, it will not destroy it in the even. 

 ing. Where is the philosopher in the worlcj, who 

 can account for this ? 9. Loadstones without any 

 known cause, act sometimes at a greater distance 

 than other times. That of the Royal Society will 

 keep a key suspended to another, sometimes at tlie 

 height of ten feet, sometimes not above four. As 

 strange it is, the variation of the needle is different 

 at different times of the day. 10. If a touched wire 

 be split, the poles are sometimes changed (as in a 

 split loadstone.) And yet sometimes one half re- 

 tains the same poles, and the other half has them 

 changed. 11. Touch a wire from end to end with 

 the same pole of the loadstone, and the end first 

 touched turns contrary to the pole that touched it. 

 But touch it again from end to end with the other 

 pole of the stohe,ahd if will turn just the contrary way.' 



